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Hassan A. Episodic Ataxias: Primary and Secondary Etiologies, Treatment, and Classification Approaches. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) 2023; 13:9. [PMID: 37008993 PMCID: PMC10064912 DOI: 10.5334/tohm.747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Episodic ataxia (EA), characterized by recurrent attacks of cerebellar dysfunction, is the manifestation of a group of rare autosomal dominant inherited disorders. EA1 and EA2 are most frequently encountered, caused by mutations in KCNA1 and CACNA1A. EA3-8 are reported in rare families. Advances in genetic testing have broadened the KCNA1 and CACNA1A phenotypes, and detected EA as an unusual presentation of several other genetic disorders. Additionally, there are various secondary causes of EA and mimicking disorders. Together, these can pose diagnostic challenges for neurologists. Methods A systematic literature review was performed in October 2022 for 'episodic ataxia' and 'paroxysmal ataxia', restricted to publications in the last 10 years to focus on recent clinical advances. Clinical, genetic, and treatment characteristics were summarized. Results EA1 and EA2 phenotypes have further broadened. In particular, EA2 may be accompanied by other paroxysmal disorders of childhood with chronic neuropsychiatric features. New treatments for EA2 include dalfampridine and fampridine, in addition to 4-aminopyridine and acetazolamide. There are recent proposals for EA9-10. EA may also be caused by gene mutations associated with chronic ataxias (SCA-14, SCA-27, SCA-42, AOA2, CAPOS), epilepsy syndromes (KCNA2, SCN2A, PRRT2), GLUT-1, mitochondrial disorders (PDHA1, PDHX, ACO2), metabolic disorders (Maple syrup urine disease, Hartnup disease, type I citrullinemia, thiamine and biotin metabolism defects), and others. Secondary causes of EA are more commonly encountered than primary EA (vascular, inflammatory, toxic-metabolic). EA can be misdiagnosed as migraine, peripheral vestibular disorders, anxiety, and functional symptoms. Primary and secondary EA are frequently treatable which should prompt a search for the cause. Discussion EA may be overlooked or misdiagnosed for a variety of reasons, including phenotype-genotype variability and clinical overlap between primary and secondary causes. EA is highly treatable, so it is important to consider in the differential diagnosis of paroxysmal disorders. Classical EA1 and EA2 phenotypes prompt single gene test and treatment pathways. For atypical phenotypes, next generation genetic testing can aid diagnosis and guide treatment. Updated classification systems for EA are discussed which may assist diagnosis and management.
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Stezin A, Pal PK. Treatable Ataxias: How to Find the Needle in the Haystack? J Mov Disord 2022; 15:206-226. [PMID: 36065614 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.22069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatable ataxias are a group of ataxic disorders with specific treatments. These disorders include genetic and metabolic disorders, immune-mediated ataxic disorders, and ataxic disorders associated with infectious and parainfectious etiology, vascular causes, toxins and chemicals, and endocrinopathies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of different treatable ataxias. The major metabolic and genetic treatable ataxic disorders include ataxia with vitamin E deficiency, abetalipoproteinemia, cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, Niemann-Pick disease type C, autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia due to coenzyme Q10 deficiency, glucose transporter type 1 deficiency, and episodic ataxia type 2. The treatment of these disorders includes the replacement of deficient cofactors and vitamins, dietary modifications, and other specific treatments. Treatable ataxias with immune-mediated etiologies include gluten ataxia, anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody-associated ataxia, steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis, Miller-Fisher syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration. Although dietary modification with a gluten-free diet is adequate in gluten ataxia, other autoimmune ataxias are managed by short-course steroids, plasma exchange, or immunomodulation. For autoimmune ataxias secondary to malignancy, treatment of tumor can reduce ataxic symptoms. Chronic alcohol consumption, antiepileptics, anticancer drugs, exposure to insecticides, heavy metals, and recreational drugs are potentially avoidable and treatable causes of ataxia. Infective and parainfectious causes of cerebellar ataxias include acute cerebellitis, postinfectious ataxia, Whipple's disease, meningoencephalitis, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. These disorders are treated with steroids and antibiotics. Recognizing treatable disorders is of paramount importance when dealing with ataxias given that early treatment can prevent permanent neurological sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Stezin
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India.,Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pramod Kumar Pal
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
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Pedroso JL, Vale TC, Braga-Neto P, Dutra LA, França MC, Teive HAG, Barsottini OGP. Acute cerebellar ataxia: differential diagnosis and clinical approach. ARQUIVOS DE NEURO-PSIQUIATRIA 2020; 77:184-193. [PMID: 30970132 DOI: 10.1590/0004-282x20190020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxia is a common finding in neurological practice and has a wide variety of causes, ranging from the chronic and slowly-progressive cerebellar degenerations to the acute cerebellar lesions due to infarction, edema and hemorrhage, configuring a true neurological emergency. Acute cerebellar ataxia is a syndrome that occurs in less than 72 hours, in previously healthy subjects. Acute ataxia usually results in hospitalization and extensive laboratory investigation. Clinicians are often faced with decisions on the extent and timing of the initial screening tests, particularly to detect treatable causes. The main group of diseases that may cause acute ataxias discussed in this article are: stroke, infectious, toxic, immune-mediated, paraneoplastic, vitamin deficiency, structural lesions and metabolic diseases. This review focuses on the etiologic and diagnostic considerations for acute ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luiz Pedroso
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, Unidade de Neurologia Geral e de Ataxias, São Paulo SP, Brasil
| | - Thiago Cardoso Vale
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Serviço de Neurologia do Hospital Universitário, Juiz de Fora MG, Brasil
| | - Pedro Braga-Neto
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Divisão de Neurologia, Fortaleza CE, Brasil.,Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Fortaleza CE, Brasil
| | - Lívia Almeida Dutra
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, Unidade de Neurologia Geral e de Ataxias, São Paulo SP, Brasil.,Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo SP, Brasil
| | | | - Hélio A G Teive
- Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Serviço de Neurologia, Setor de Distúrbios do Movimento, Curitiba PR, Brasil
| | - Orlando G P Barsottini
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia, Unidade de Neurologia Geral e de Ataxias, São Paulo SP, Brasil
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McKenzie J, Oettel-Flaherty C, Noel D, Walker RH, Sobering AK. Pseudo-ataxia due to Osteoid Osteoma. TREMOR AND OTHER HYPERKINETIC MOVEMENTS (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 9:631. [PMID: 30783555 PMCID: PMC6377914 DOI: 10.7916/vt1n-ga19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Background Ataxia is diagnosed by typical features on examination suggestive of a cerebellar etiology and can invoke extensive diagnostic testing. Osteoid osteomas (OOs) are benign bone tumors of the lower limbs that occasionally present with focal neurological signs. Case Report A 3-year-old male presented with apparent progressive gait ataxia and non-specific leg pain. Initial imaging was unremarkable. However, 12 months later, a lesion was identified in the distal right femur, which was found to be an OO. The gait disorder and pain resolved after surgery. Discussion This case highlights the challenges of diagnosing a gait disorder in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanette McKenzie
- Department of Physiology, Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, WI
| | | | - Douglas Noel
- Clinical Teaching Unit, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, WI
| | - Ruth H Walker
- Department of Neurology, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York, NY, US.,Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, US
| | - Andrew K Sobering
- Department of Biochemistry, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, WI
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Oh AJ, Chen T, Shariati MA, Jehangir N, Hwang TN, Liao YJ. A simple saccadic reading test to assess ocular motor function in cerebellar ataxia. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203924. [PMID: 30403759 PMCID: PMC6221255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxia is a neurological disorder due to dysfunction of the cerebellum that affects coordination of fine movement, gait, and balance. Although ataxic patients commonly exhibit abnormal eye movement and have difficulties with saccadic reading, quantification of ocular motor abilities during reading in the clinical setting is rarely done. In this study, we assess visual performance with simple reading tests that can be used in the clinical setting and performed video infrared oculography in 11 patients with hereditary or acquired cerebellar ataxia and 11 age-matched controls. We found that compared with controls, ataxic patients read significantly slower on regularly and irregularly spaced 120 single-digit number reading tasks (read aloud) (p = 0.02 for both) but not on a word reading task (read silently), although there was large variability on the word reading task. Among the 3 reading tasks, the regularly spaced number reading task had the greatest difference (44%) between ataxic patients and controls. Analysis of oculography revealed that ataxic patients had slower reading speeds on the regularly spaced number reading task because of significantly higher saccade and fixation counts, impairment of small amplitude progressive saccades as well as large amplitude, line-changing saccades, greater fixation dispersion, and irregularity of scan paths and staircase gaze patterns. Our findings show that infrared oculography remains the gold standard in assessment of ocular motor difficulties during reading in ataxic patients. In the absence of this capability in the clinical setting, a simple 120 regularly spaced single-digit saccadic number reading test, which most patients can perform in less than 2 minutes, can be a possible biomarker for ocular motor abilities necessary for reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Jinsook Oh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Tiffany Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Ali Shariati
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Naz Jehangir
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas N. Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, Redwood City, California, United States of America
| | - Yaping Joyce Liao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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van der Veen S, Zutt R, Elting JWJ, Becker CE, de Koning TJ, Tijssen MAJ. Progressive myoclonus ataxia: Time for a new definition? Mov Disord 2018; 33:1281-1286. [PMID: 30145808 PMCID: PMC6175171 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical demarcation of the syndrome progressive myoclonus ataxia is unclear, leading to a lack of recognition and difficult differentiation from other neurological syndromes. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to apply a refined definition of progressive myoclonus ataxia and describe the clinical characteristics in patients with progressive myoclonus ataxia and with isolated cortical myoclonus. METHODS A retro- and prospective analysis was performed in our tertiary referral center between 1994 and 2014. Inclusion criteria for progressive myoclonus ataxia patients were the presence of myoclonus and ataxia with or without infrequent (all types, treatment responsive) epileptic seizures. Inclusion criteria for isolated cortical myoclonus was the presence of isolated cortical myoclonus. Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics data were systematically scored. RESULTS A total of 14 progressive myoclonus ataxia patients (males, 7; females, 7), median age 14.5 years, and 8 isolated cortical myoclonus patients (males, 2; females, 6), median age 23.5 years, were identified. In 93% of the progressive myoclonus ataxia patients, ataxia started first (median 2 years) followed by myoclonus (4 years) and finally infrequent epilepsy (9.3 years), with a progressive course in 93%. In 64% of the progressive myoclonus ataxia patients, a genetic underlying etiology was identified, including 3 not earlier reported causative progressive myoclonus ataxia genes. In isolated cortical myoclonus patients, myoclonus started at (median) 12 years with progression over time in 63% and a single epileptic seizure in 1 patient. No genetic causes were identified. CONCLUSION Using a refined definition, we could create a rather homogenous progressive myoclonus ataxia group. Patients with isolated cortical myoclonus have a different course and do not appear to evolve in progressive myoclonus ataxia. The refined progressive myoclonus ataxia definition is a successful first step toward creating a separate syndrome for both clinical practice and future genetic research. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterre van der Veen
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rodi Zutt
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Haga Ziekenhuis (Haga Hospital), Department of Neurology, The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Willem J Elting
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte E Becker
- European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Tom J de Koning
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Department of Genetics, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marina A J Tijssen
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Karaca M, Özgül RK, Ünal Ö, Yücel-Yılmaz D, Kılıç M, Hişmi B, Tokatlı A, Coşkun T, Dursun A, Sivri HS. Detection of biotinidase gene mutations in Turkish patients ascertained by newborn and family screening. Eur J Pediatr 2015; 174:1077-84. [PMID: 25754625 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-015-2509-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The incidence of biotinidase deficiency in Turkey is currently one of the highest in the world. To expand upon the information about the biotinidase gene (BTD) variations in Turkish patients, we conducted a mutation screening in a large series (n = 210) of probands with biotinidase deficiency, using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and direct DNA sequencing. The putative effects of novel mutations were predicted by computational program. Twenty-six mutations, including six novels (p.C143F, p.T244I, c.1212-1222del11, c.1320delG, p.V457L, p.G480R) were identified. Nine of the patients were symptomatic at the initial clinical assessment with presentations of seizures, encephalopathy, and lactic acidemia. The most common mutation in this group of symptomatic patients was c.98-104 del7ins3. Among the screened patients, 72 have partial and 134 have profound biotinidase deficiency (BD) of which 106 are homozygous for BTD mutations. The common mutations (p.R157H, p.D444H, c.98-104del7ins3, p.T532M) cumulatively accounted for 72.3% of all the mutant alleles in the Turkish population. CONCLUSION The identification of common mutations and hot spot regions of the BTD gene in Turkish patients is important for mutation screening in the Turkish population and helps to ascertain carriers, may have impact on genetic counseling and implementing prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Karaca
- Faculty of Science and Arts, Department of Biology, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey,
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Abstract
Ataxia refers to motor incoordination that is usually most prominent during movement or when a child is attempting to maintain a sitting posture. The first part of the review focuses on the anatomic localization of ataxia--both within the nervous system and without--using a combination of historical features and physical findings. The remainder of the review discusses etiological considerations that vary depending on the age group under consideration. In infancy, certain specific diseases, such as opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome, must receive special mention because the underlying disease process may be amenable to surgical intervention. In the toddler- and school-age groups, certain conditions (such as stroke and acute cerebellitis) require immediate recognition and imaging, whereas others (such as post-infectious ataxia and concussion) require close follow-up. Finally, mention must be made of diseases outside of the central nervous system that can present with ataxia, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
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